Robert budd



(No Model.)

RQBUDD. POST HOLE BIGGER- NO. 499,962. Patented June 20, 1893.

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ROBERT BUDD, OF BOWMANVILLE, CANADA.

POST-HOLE DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,962, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed February 1892. Serial No. 4.22.790. (No model.)

nection with a battering ram to force the said cylinder into the ground and with mechanism provided for the purpose of withdrawing the cylinder discharging its contents, 850.; substantially as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my im-' proved post-hole digger. Fig. 2, is an enlarged sectional View of the cylinder.

In the drawings, A, represents a vertical frame in which the weight or battering ram 13, is carried. The frame A, is similar to that of an ordinary pile driver, and the weight or ram B, operates in the same manner. The cylinder 0, is rigidly connected to the ram' B, by the rod or spindle D. The cylinder 0, is made, as shown in Fig. 2, the size of the hole it is desired to make, The outer cutting edge, a, is parallel with the outer surface of the cylinder and is beveled inwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that the diameter of the earth cut by the cutting edge, a, shall'be greater than the diameter of the interior of the cylinder 0, consequently when the cylinder 0, is forced into the ground, the earth cut by it is forced into the cylinder and held there by being compressed into a smaller space than it occupied in the ground.

The gripping tongs E, are properly pivoted in the frame F, which is supported by the rope G. This rope G, is wound upon the shaft H, which is provided with a crank handle I, and pawls and ratchet to hold it at any desired point.

It will be observed, that the vertical frame A, is carried upon the horizontal frame I, which is supported on four ground wheels J which ground wheels are carried upon a crank axle K, each crank axle being independently journaled in a block fixed to the bottom of the frame I, and a spur wheel L, is fixed to each axle K, and is held stationary by the action of a pawl M. The crank axles, it will be observed, are arranged in pairs and each pair is connected together by a sleeve N, on which a' handle 0, is movably placed.

In order to put my post hole digger in operation, I move it on its Wheels until the cylinder O, is exactly over the spot where it is desired that a hole should be made. The crank axles K, are then adjusted by means of the handle 0, so that the frame A, shall be in an exactly vertical position immediately over the point where the post hole is to be made. The rope G, isthen adjusted so that the gripping tongs E, are made to grip the arrow head P, on the ram B and by winding the rope G, on the shaft H, the weight or ram B, with the cylinder 0, attached is elevated until the legs of the gripping tongs E, are brought in contact with the inverted V-shaped frame Q, which action opens the tongs E, releases the ram B, and permits its weight to force the cylinder G, into the ground. The cylinder 0, may then be elevated and by pressing the foot upon the crank R,the tray S, is made to drop below the cylinder 0, closing the hole. The lever T, isthen adjusted so as to force the push plates, U, down the cylinder and thus expel the earth raised by the cylinder out of the same onto the tray S. The operation may then be repeated until the hole is made the requisite depth.

In the center of the cylinder C, I place a partition V, with a knife edge which cuts into the earth when the cylinder 0, is forced into the ground and assists in compressing the earth to retain it in the cylinder until it is expelled by the push plates, U.

In order to alter the stroke of the ram B, I arrange the frame Q, so that it may be raised or lowered, thatis to say-it is carried by a rope W, and is held in the frame A, in such a manner that by the adjustment of the rope W, it may be let down in the frame A, or elevated therein, so as to bring it nearer to the gripping tongs E, or fartherfrom them according to the stroke of the ram B, desired.

From this description it will be seen that post holes may be made by my machine with very little labor, it being merely necessary that a boy strong enough to adjust the machine and raise the ram, should be employed, and the said machine can be operated by such a boy with,coniparatively speaking, little labor.

' 1 am aware that it has been proposed to make spades of such weight as to force themselves into the ground, as shown for instance,

in the United States Patent No. 120,836, dated November 14, 1871, but to make them of sufficient weight that they will force themselves into hard ground is practicallyimpossible,

but by providing them with a ram as I have i done, there is no trouble in forcing them into the hardest soil.

What I claim as my inventionis- 1. The combination in a post hole digger, of a hollow cutting cylinder, a ram for driving he; s in t e ou ea s for e ns d eman yli r ov bl h platesworking in saidcylinder, and, means for operating said push plates, substantially as described. v V

2. The combination in a post! hole digger, of ahollow cutting cylinder, aram'tor driving the same into the ground, a spindle connecting the ram and cylinder, means for raising said ram and cylinder, push plates worki ng in said "cylinden and means for operating said push plates attached to the spindle between the cylinder and ram, substantially as described.

3. A weight or ram B, carried in a vertical frame A, and suspe nde'd'by the gripping tongs E, in combination with a cylinder 0, divided by the partition V, in combination with a push-plate U, operated by the lever T; substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A weight or ram B, carried in a vertical frame A,and suspended by the gripping tongs E, in combination with a cylinder 0, divided by the partition V, in combination with a push-plate U; operated by the lever T, to dischargethecontents of the cylin der onto the movable tray- S;- substantially as and for the p rposei pecifie i .7

"Bowmanville, FebruarylZ, 1892.

' RoBERr'BtTbD.

In presence ot'- D. BUR E SIMPSON, HUGH GUTHRIE. 

